Kenneth Walker III
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A New York Giants insider confirmed the team has already "looked into" an MVP signing for 2026 NFL free agency.
The idea the New York Giants will add a high-profile running back in 2026 NFL free agency is more than just idle speculation when “the team has looked into” taking an MVP-level talent off the market.
A report from ESPN’s Jordan Raanan on Friday, March 6 confirmed Kenneth Walker III is firmly in the Giants’ sights. The Seattle Seahawks star is expected to draw plenty of interest after being named MVP of Super Bowl LX, but Raanan is convinced the Giants are serious about getting better on the ground.
He explained that “Just about anything is on the table as the Giants enter this year’s free agency — including potentially signing Walker, the Super Bowl LX MVP, to their backfield. That is a move the team has looked into, multiple league sources told ESPN.”
Raanan did acknowledge “The Seahawks are interested in retaining Walker. There also are other suitors. So it’s hardly a lock that Walker or any other high-end running back ends up in New York. Travis Etienne Jr. and Rico Dowdle are other options. Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love impressed the Giants at last week’s combine, according to multiple league sources.”
Exploring a deal for Walker and running the rule over Love at the annual Scouting Combine underscores the Giants’ intent. Adding a running back may look like a luxury move, but it would also serve to set the tone for how new head coach John Harbaugh and his staff will do things.
Kenneth Walker Chatter Growing
This is far from the first time the Giants have been said to be looking at Walker as an ideal addition. Securing his signature would be a coup for a new regime because Walker is a dynamic and true three-down workhorse.
The 25-year-old hasn’t even hits his prime yet, despite gashing the New England Patriots for 135 yards in the biggest game. What Walker does best is run with patience, wait for his opening and accelerate for long gains.
A good example was this 30-yarder he ripped off against the Pats in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium.
Walker’s ability to combine wait-and-see instincts with breakaway speed was summed up by his averaging “a top speed of 13.2 MPH on his carries this season, the second-fastest in the NFL (min. 100 carries). He crossed the line of scrimmage in an average of 3.19 seconds, the longest of any RB in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016),” according to Next Gen Stats.
These figures are the best explanation for why Harbaugh would want Walker, even when they already have talent on the depth chart.
John Harbaugh Changing Giants Offense
Two exciting young running backs underpin the position, but as Raanan pointed out, “What all this interest does portend with Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. on the roster is that the Giants are open to moves that most didn’t see coming. Simultaneously, they plan to become a more physical, run-focused team.”
Harbaugh shifting gears to something more ground-focused is hardly surprising when his Baltimore Ravens teams were run-first for the best part of 18 years. The value of a reliable playmaker in the backfield isn’t lost on Harbaugh, nor on new Giants ground-game guru Greg Roman.
The Roman and Harbaugh double act should be good news for Tracy and Skattebo, but it’s possible the Giants want to accelerate their new era with a proven commodity. Especially since Tracy and Skattebo represent only parts of a complete back.
Skattebo is the power runner whose straight-ahead style and enthusiasm can telegraph his intent. He’ll have his uses once he’s recovered from the ankle injury that ended his rookie season prematurely, but Skattebo isn’t the same game-breaking threat as Walker. Nor is Tracy, despite a slashing style, natural quickness and competent receiving skills.
Walker is the bluechip talent Harbaugh can build a new-look offense around and ease Jaxson Dart’s development as the dual-threat quarterback enters his second year.